Barge-handling device



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,836

S. M. CARLISLE BARGE HANDLING DEVICE Filed May 20, 1927 3 L5 ,2f Je zo 17L j 2 5 I f/2 F FS 5 I [I j/ //50 a" `l l i 2/5' .I 1 gzfi* 1 l /2 /0\52 SH/Waz. M. mw/SLE j? /0 INVENToR.

BY ATTORNEYS.

lll

Patented Feb. 26, 1,929.

v'UNITED STMEs SAMUEL M. CARLISLE, F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BARGE-HANDLING` DEVICE.

Application le May 20,

This invention relates to an improved barge handling device, and has for one of its principal objects the provision of means for facilitating the Vhandling of one or more barges by means of a tow boat or the like.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide, in a simplified apparatus, a means and method for steering and maneuvering barges and the like in a body of water, with much less difliculty than 'has heretofore been experienced.

Still another and further important object of this invention is to provide, in combination with a barge or the like, means for turn- Fing, steering, or changing the direction of same, thereby enabling said barge or similar object and its associated members, composing parts of a fleetof such barges handled by a tow'boat, to be steered and maneuvered with much more perfection and with much less difficulty than has heretofore been encountered.

Other and further `important object-s of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a 'diagrammatic top plan view of a tow boat and an associated fleet of barges illustrating the improved device of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a vert-ical cross section of theV device, taken approximately on the line 2 2 Vof Figure 1. f

Figure Sis a cross-section, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2. i As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally a tow boat or the like commonly used in rivers or similar bodies of water for transporting fleets of barges, such as are represented diagrammatically at 12 in Figure 1. It is the usual custom to handle such fleets of barges by pushing the same with a tow boat as illustrated, the steering being accomplished solely by the rudder of the tow boat or boats.

The improved barge handlingdevice of this invention comprises essentially a cylindrical tube or the like, as shown at 14, adapted to be either built into the head barge or associated therewith in some convenient way, the tube 14 being located below the water line.

Mounted in the tube 14, and corresponding with the longitudinalV axis thereof, is a shaft- 1927.l VSex'ialNo.1925939.

16, at each end of which is mounted a propeller 18, the shaft being itself supported by suit-able bearings or the like 20. Motion may be imparted to the shaft 16 and its associated propellers 18 by means of a chain or the like 24 operated by an electric motor 26 suitabl mounted in proper position above the sha t and either on the barge 12 or 'in a removable device adapted to be associated with the barge. o

Control wires lead from the motor 26 rearwardly to a switch or the like 32 mounted on the tow boat 10 and current is supplied to the motor from a generator 34 likewise mounted in the tow boat and which can form part of the regular equipment thereof.

rI he cylindrical compartment 14 is protected byA means of screens or the like 36 mounted at each end thereof whereby drift and dbris is prevented from entering the same and fouling the propellers.

Vhenthe propellers 18 are set in motion the entire fleet of barges can be much more Vveasily manipulated and maneuvered than in the present system of handling the whole fleet by the tow boat alone, and the direct-ion of steering of the head barge can, of course, be readily reversed by reversing the current flowing through the motor 26.

It is evident that one or more propellers may be used, and also one or moreof the component devices may be used with a fleet of barges and the same may be made removable to be attached .to any certain barge at will.

It will be seen that herein is provided a means and method for facilitating the handling of a Vfleet of barges propelled by one tow boat, and that with this device a fleet of such barges can be maneuvered in the mini-V mum of space and with a maximum of safety and also much more readily than has heretofore been considered possible.

. I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art. y

I claim as Vmy inventlon: f In combination with a tow boat and an associated `fleet of barges, said barges being positioned ahead of the Vtow boat, means on the first barge vfor forcing water through the same transversely in either direction to assist in steering the fleet, said means including a straight tube positioned transversely across the motor and tlie Vpropeller shaft, un electrivthe barge below the Water line,'zt propeller cal Vcurrent generating unit on the towboat 10 in each end of the tube, guards for the proand current control means on the towboaft pellers at the ends of the tube, electrically` electrically connected with the motor, for driven meansfor operating the propellers, rotating the said propellers to 'force Water said means comprising a motor positioned in through the tube. Y

a housing,T on the barge connecting With said In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

tube, sprocket and chain connections between y SAMUEL M. CARLISLE 

